RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Brazil Pavilion at the Expo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has been a success among foreign and Brazilian visitors. Some 1.3 million people have visited the space dedicated to Brazil since October 1, with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) as the main organizer.
Throughout the Expo, 15 million visitors were recorded.
A group of French visitors passing by the interactive platforms was excited with their findings about Brazil. “It is very beautiful, we liked the quiz. It is different from the other buildings, very beautiful,” said Lucienne Laurent. According to her, the best part was the construction on the water mirror featuring the many themes related to agribusiness, such as sustainability. In general, 70% of visitors are of other nationalities, according to the event’s organization.
The Expo’s Arab edition, the world’s largest event since the start of the pandemic, features 192 countries exploring 3 major themes: opportunity, mobility and sustainability as ways to provide solutions for a better world.
Brazil is located in the sustainability district, in a 4,000 m2 pavilion made of translucent architectural membranes, where images of the country’s natural riches, urban centers, and major references of national culture are projected. The dark water mirror is inspired by the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon River. At night, the pavilion becomes a kind of lantern for the Expo visitors.
During the week of February 17 to 23, the main theme in the Brazil pavilion was agribusiness. This event alone is expected to generate nearly US$500 million in exports for the country and US$10 billion in investments. Agribusiness is of great importance, accounting for about 43% of Brazilian exports in 2021, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply.
General Elias Rodrigues Martins Filho, the Brazilian Pavilion’s commissioner-general, believes the exhibit has hosted a large influx of visitors, such that it is ranked as one of the most visited pavilions. “This is very significant for us,” he emphasized.
He said the objective is to show the world how important this economic segment is for the country and for the rest of the world. “We are perhaps the greatest global power in terms of agribusiness, which works on sustainable and responsible agriculture,” he declared.
EXPO JAPAN 2025
World Expos are held every 5 years. Dubai was selected in 2013 to host the 2020 edition, but was postponed due to the pandemic. In 2025 it will be held in the Japanese city of Osaka.
Eighty percent of the structure set up in Dubai will be maintained and converted into the 2020 District, a kind of neighborhood-city, where half of the buildings will be commercial developments and the other half will be residential. The goal is for this to be an innovation hub with the involvement of startups, universities and laboratories. In 30 years, the district is expected to have a population of 150,000.